This year, especially in American Literature, I feel as though I have grown immensely in my ability to take out the main ideas from a text, as well as the finer details based off those main ideas. I have learned how to use FIDDS in a way completely different than last year. Last year, I would say something like, "The imagery really paints a picture in ones head that he is scared....". Now, after everything I feel I have learned this year, I would say something closer to , " The detail describes the fear of ____, and the word _____ does this because...(related it back to thesis). Last year, I did not have the ability to correctly relate all my evidence back to the thesis, and do it in such a manner that adequately summed up my points. To throw in a IB Learner profile, I would say I became more principled when it comes to writing and literary analysis, because I fell as though I have learned the process well enough over the course of this Literary year.
In American Studies, I feel as though I have grown in being a better reflector, certainly an improvement over last year. I have grown as a reflector in terms of reflecting on how certain events in history have truly affected me and the country and the world in ways that cannot be reversed. Seeing why things happened, what the effects were, is something I have been able to understand better after this year, and a lot of the credit I feel goes to American Studies, because we spend a good chunk of time analyzing why things happened, and give greater importance to that over when /what happened. Growing as a reflector from this class has enabled me to be a better student in my opinion, as the improved reflective skill has carried over to other classes, allowing me to analyze my weaknesses, and through reflection, find a solution for them.
first off i want to recognize and applaud you for incorporating the IB learner profile traits, second i want to say that i can relate to you 100%. i really did benefit and made a significant improvement also. i believe that strict teachers teach it best.
ReplyDeleteI can agree with you Zayan, In the beginning of the year, I knew a lot about American history however, this knowledge was at a superficial level which means that I really knew only the 'tip of the iceberg' however as months have passed we have analyzed history asking not only how it happened but why. By the end of the year, I just find it amazing how America had just started off as 13 colonies who had to persevere through winters to the America we know today. Learning the history of America coupled with it's literature and it's arts has made me truly made me appreciate the past that still affects us today and it has made me aware of the issues we still face today such as who gets to be American.
ReplyDeleteI have to completely agree with you Zayan, and I can personally relate. This year has made a huge impact on me because it was the year that I learned that the content such as dates is not the important part. The important thing is the skills you mastered and can apply to any situation.
ReplyDeleteI have to completely agree with you Zayan, and I can personally relate. This year has made a huge impact on me because it was the year that I learned that the content such as dates is not the important part. The important thing is the skills you mastered and can apply to any situation.
ReplyDeleteI love how you mention specific skills and give examples of how you've changed over this year and I'm pretty sure everyone can relate because we've all been taught a very structured and straightforward process in how to tackle difficult questions in studies and literature
ReplyDeleteVery nice, well thought out response. As all the above comments have said, I concur completely. The year has been both challenging and fun. There have been many experiences in our sophomore year. It has been much different than freshman years, We had to gain new skills in organization and time management in order to survive. But the real beast is next year. It will be very challenging.
ReplyDeleteI agree with affaan everyone can relate to the change you have experianced over this semester. Furthermore I think that the blueprint that we have been taught was very structured and it made us think over and over again passed the obvious and into the mind of the author.
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